Whiplash
by Aini NuFire
Summary: Coda to 5x13: Cas suffers some complications from time travel.


**A/N: Based on a prompt from Miyth. Thanks for giving me a reason to finally write a coda to one of my favorite episodes! And thanks to 29Pieces for beta reading. =)**

 **Disclaimer:** ** _Supernatural_** **isn't mine. If it were, there would be more conversations like this on the show.**

* * *

"Whiplash"

Dean drained the last of his liquor from the motel cup and continued to stare at the comatose angel on the bed. It was kinda unnerving seeing Cas like that—he was supposed to be an indestructible angel, after all. But then, finding him collapsed on the sidewalk and coughing up blood had kinda shattered that illusion. Once upon a time, Cas _had_ been an indestructible angel-of-the-Lord. Now he was cut off, practically half fallen. Dean knew it was a miracle Cas had made it back to the present at all.

He snorted under his breath. "'Weaken me,' my ass."

Sam looked up from his computer, then glanced at the unconscious angel. "I'm sure he'll be fine, Dean. He just needs to recuperate. We don't even know how long he was in the past before he managed to get back. And he didn't have passengers on the return trip, so it had to have been a little easier on him."

Right, there hadn't been any coughing up blood this time. Still, Dean kept hearing Cas's gruff, yet mildly surprised, _"I'm fine. Much better than I expected."_

Because internal hemorrhaging hadn't been the worst likely outcome he'd been anticipating. The dumb-ass. Why'd he agree to take them into the past like that anyway?

Dean ran a tired hand down his face. Because Dean had practically bullied him, that's why. Cas had tried to tell him it was dangerous, that it would "weaken" him. And Dean had laid it out as clear as day—his parents were more important. And Cas had submitted to Dean's will, putting himself in the line of fire.

It wasn't even like this had been the first time Cas had nearly died—or _actually_ died—for him, which wasn't exactly setting a good precedent, something Dean should probably do something about.

A low moan issued from the bed, jolting him out of his reverie.

"About time," he groused, setting his cup down and striding over to the bed.

Cas's brow pinched as he clawed his way back to consciousness.

"Cas, hey buddy," Dean said. "You okay?"

Cas groaned, his eyelids fluttering groggily. "Dean?"

He managed to give the angel a small smile. "Welcome back."

Cas frowned, then started to sit up, and Dean reached out to grip his shoulder and help steady him. Cas's eyes slowly tracked the room before his gaze landed on Sam.

"Oh, hello, Sam."

"Hey, Cas. How are you feeling?"

Cas's brow furrowed in what seemed like confusion, but he responded with a typical, "Fine."

Dean rolled his eyes.

"I'm glad to see you and Dean have reunited," Cas went on.

That made the brothers pause and exchange quizzical looks.

"Uh, what?" Sam asked.

Cas tilted his head. "Dean said you'd gone your separate ways. He didn't seem happy about it, though. Plus, you two present a stronger front together. It will make the coming battles easier to face."

A rock dropped into Dean's stomach. Oh hell, was Cas suffering from _amnesia_? But he'd been fine when he first popped back into their timeline, and they hadn't dropped him on the bed _that_ hard.

"Cas, that was months ago," Dean said.

Cas's eyes widened, and he abruptly surged off the bed, nearly knocking Dean over. "We have to get out of here."

Dean stumbled to catch his balance. "What? Why?"

"Lucifer." Cas kept turning his head every which way, as though expecting the Devil to drop in on their heads.

Dean's heart rate spiked. "He's here? Are you sure?"

Sam also jumped to his feet, pallor two shades paler.

"Crowley informed you that Lucifer was in Carthage," Cas said. "You don't understand, the Colt won't work on him. We have to leave before he gets Sam."

Dean's burst of adrenaline had him prepped to burst out the door and make a run for the Impala, but now he pulled up short and stared in bewilderment at the angel.

"Carthage…" Dean sputtered. "Cas, we're not in Carthage!"

What the hell…

Sam moved forward and caught Cas's arm when the angel swayed. "Cas, hey, Lucifer didn't get me. You came and rescued me and Dean, remember?" He ducked his head to meet Cas's slightly glazed eyes. "You just finished taking us back in time to stop Anna from killing our parents. Remember that?"

Cas blinked rapidly at him. "Yes…of course I remember."

Dean huffed out a piqued breath. "Okay, good." At least the guy didn't have memory loss. But Cas had practically given Dean a heart attack just now, and his pulse was still racing from the adrenaline surge.

"Okay," Sam echoed, sounding worried. "Maybe you should sit down." He guided Cas back toward the edge of the bed, but before Sam could settle him, Cas lurched to his feet again and clamped a hand around Dean's upper arm.

"I have to get you out of Hell."

Dean's eyes widened. "Wh—"

Before he could finish his protest, he was yanked into the ether.

He crashed down into the pavement a split second later, the impact way more jarring than when Cas had dropped them in 1978. Dean's stomach did a flip, and he rolled over with a groan, swallowing against the urge to vomit. He was going to _throttle_ Cas…

His warped vision cleared, and Dean blinked at his reflection in a shiny hubcap. Lifting his head, he recognized first the Impala, then the parking lot of the motel they were currently staying in. At least Cas hadn't stranded him somewhere.

Speaking of said angel…Dean twisted around and spotted Cas sprawled on his back a couple feet away, gazing up at the sky in something like hurt and confusion.

"Cas…" Dean heaved himself up and started to crawl over.

Cas turned his head. "I'm sorry."

Dean bit back a scowl. He had no idea what was going on, but it was starting to freak him out.

There was the sound of a door opening, and Dean looked up to find Sam barreling out of their room, car keys in hand and shrugging his jacket on like he was planning to go looking for them. Sam pulled up short and sputtered soundlessly.

"Guess he's still not up to flying," Dean muttered. _Small favors_.

He gripped Cas's arm and tried to tug him upright. Sam hurried over and bent down to help.

"Cas, what the hell was that?" Sam asked.

Cas winced as they hauled him into a sitting position, then to his feet. "I'm fine. Much better than expected."

"Oh, hell no." Dean tightened his grip hard enough to bruise a human. "This is not fine. Snap out of it, man!"

"Dean," Sam said under his breath, casting a glance around the parking lot. "Let's just get him back inside."

Right. Together, they steered Cas back toward the room.

"Dean," Cas said weakly. "I really don't want to go into the den of iniquity."

Dean's stomach clenched with mounting worry. Something was very wrong here.

"It's okay, Cas. No den of iniquity, I promise."

Cas gave him a relieved look, while Sam shot him a questioning one over the angel's head. Dean shrugged; now wasn't really the time to explain.

They guided Cas back into the room and eased him down onto the bed.

"Just, sit here, okay?" Dean said, then added firmly, " _Don't_ go anywhere."

Cas blinked up at him. "Alright."

Sam grasped Dean's sleeve and tugged him toward the other side of the room. "What do we do?"

"How the hell should I know?" he retorted.

"Do you think this is from the time travel?" Sam pressed. "Or…I don't know, did Michael do something to him?"

"I have no friggin' idea, Sam." Dean huffed out a frustrated breath. He didn't want to get snippy with his brother, but it wasn't like Dean knew any more about angels than the rest of them, and why did Sam and Bobby keep acting like he did?

"Maybe he just needs to rest," Dean suggested. As long as they could keep him from trying to fly off again.

They looked back at the angel, who was once more roving his gaze around the room.

"Is this a pocket dimension?" Cas asked. "Because it doesn't feel like one, but Gabriel is clever and devious. It could be a trick." He blinked then as though something had occurred to him, and looked over at the brothers in grave seriousness. "Gabriel is the Trickster. You two need to be careful."

Dean exchanged another helpless look with Sam. If Cas was drunk, this could potentially be very funny, and great blackmail material. But since Cas hadn't downed a bunch of alcohol…unless he had back in 1978. Or maybe some weed. The guy at the motel they'd stashed Cas at had seemed pretty generous about handing it out.

"Cas, did the motel manager in 1978 give you something?" he asked.

Sam shot him a bitch-face, while Cas canted his head in confusion.

"No."

Shaking his head, Sam went over and sat down next to the angel. "Cas, do you know what's going on? Because you're kinda scaring us here."

Cas squinted at him for a long moment. "Too much spinning," he finally said.

"You're dizzy?" Dean clarified.

Cas's mouth thinned. "Time keeps spinning too fast."

Dean sighed. Gee, that was helpful.

Sam, however, looked contemplative. "Okay, so it's like you're stuck in a time loop? Or getting bounced around?"

That didn't make sense to Dean; Cas was right here, not zapping in and out of the past. Not physically, anyway.

"I can't seem to get…an anchor," Cas said slowly. "Everything is spinning too fast."

"What can we do to help?" Sam asked.

Cas furrowed his brow. "I don't understand…I'm not supposed to be on earth in 1980." His eyes widened. "I dropped you in the wrong year."

Dean wanted to groan or smack his forehead. Not again.

"No, Cas, we're fine," Sam started, but Cas was already on his feet. His balance was horribly off, though, and Dean had to leap forward to catch him before he face-planted.

Cas tried to wrench away. "I have to find Sam and Dean."

"Cas," Dean said desperately. "We're right here!" He gave the angel a sharp shake. "I'm right in front of you and we're in 2010."

 _Don't you dare flap those wings_.

Cas continued to sway, and Sam reached up to tug him back toward the bed. "I'm sorry," he choked out. "I'm not strong enough…I can't help you stop Anna."

" _Cas_ …" Dean closed his eyes for a moment to collect himself. This was really starting to get overwhelming. He took a deep breath, then crouched down to Cas's eye level. "That's done, remember? Michael stopped Anna, and it's now _2010_."

"Cas," Sam broke in. "Why don't you lay down?" He didn't make it much of a suggestion, because he was already gently pushing Cas back against the mattress. But no sooner had Cas's head touched the pillow that he was lurching upright again.

"No, I have to find Jimmy."

Dean gritted his teeth, afraid he was gonna have to restrain Cas somehow. Normally that wouldn't be possible with an angel, but he seemed weak enough at the moment.

"Jimmy's fine," Sam replied, somehow maintaining a calm and soothing tone despite how very not fine this whole situation was.

Cas shook his head frantically. "His family…I promised. P- please, Zachariah." Cas's breathing hitched. "I- I'll obey. Just let me go to him."

Dean stilled, his hand on Cas's arm even though the angel had actually stopped struggling and now seemed to be lost in some delusion. One that was ringing very familiar bells, and not in a good way. Sam flicked an alarmed look at him.

"I have to find Jimmy," Cas continued, not even looking at either of them in particular. "We're supposed to be their shepherds. Please, Zachariah, don't do this."

Dean sat down on the edge of the bed and picked up Cas's wrist, splaying lax fingers in front of the angel's face. "Cas, you're in Jimmy," he said, trying for the same level tone that Sam was managing. He couldn't keep the crack from his voice, though. "You think you're in Heaven, right? When the other angels yanked you out of Jimmy? You made it back, though. See?"

Cas blinked rapidly at his own hand, then finally shifted his gaze to Dean, and a dazed look of wonder came over him. "I did," he breathed. "I'm very surprised."

And then he promptly passed out.

For a moment, neither Dean nor Sam said anything, too stunned by the question of what they were dealing with here—and what they could possibly do about it.

"Maybe he'll sleep it off," Sam said quietly.

Dean could only hope. Except angels weren't supposed to sleep. He laid Cas's arm down by his side and stood abruptly. After a second thought, he went to the cup of liquor he'd set down earlier and snatched it up to drain the last of its contents. Then he headed to the mini fridge to grab another bottle.

"Dean," Sam chided.

"Did you hear him?" he rejoined sharply. "Zachariah had him in Heaven and was…was…" He couldn't even say it, because it was too mind-boggling to comprehend. When Cas had been dragged back to Heaven and the Winchesters were stuck babysitting Jimmy, Dean had on some level figured Cas wasn't up there on vacation. Hell, even Anna had said so. But then Cas had come back fine except for turning into a complete dick again.

 _"I learned my lesson,"_ however, paired with Cas's broken tone just now, painted the picture all too clearly in Dean's mind.

"Yeah, I heard him," Sam said gently, like Dean was the wounded victim here. "And you getting drunk isn't gonna help him."

Dean slammed the unopened beer on the counter. "You got any idea what will?"

Sam crossed his arms. "Not yet. Want to actually help me look?"

Dean felt mildly chastised by that, and shuffled his way toward the small table where their laptops were set out. Sam came over and took the seat across from him. What were they supposed to look up, though? It wasn't like "time travel side effects" was gonna get them anything outside of a _Doctor Who_ fan site.

Sam cleared his throat. "Uh, what was the den of iniquity Cas mentioned?"

Dean grimaced. "I, er, kinda took him to a brothel once. It was when you were off doing your own thing."

Sam's brows rose sharply. "Seriously? You took an _angel_ to a brothel?"

"What?" he replied defensively. "He thought it was gonna be his last night on earth. I couldn't let him die a virgin."

The look of horror on Sam's face was rather amusing, despite the circumstances.

"Oh my god, Dean," he sputtered. "You didn't…he didn't…"

"No, he didn't. We got chased out." A smile tugged at the corners of Dean's mouth. "He made quite the impression on the lovely Chastity."

If Sam's eyes bugged any further, they were gonna pop. " _Chastity_?" he spluttered.

Dean finally grinned. "I know, right?"

Sam gave himself a sharp shake. "Okay, I don't want to know any more. Let's just…" He gestured to the computers.

And with that, the humor faded as they returned their attention to the rather serious task of trying to diagnose a very befuddled angel. But as Dean predicted, the Internet was not being helpful on the subject. He was about to place a call to Bobby for assistance when Cas shifted on the bed.

Dean immediately jumped from his chair and went over. "Cas? Hey, buddy, how you doing?"

Cas's face scrunched up, and he rolled onto his side. "Mmph, my wings hurt."

Dean stared blankly. Aw, shit, not more crap to deal with. "So don't fly anywhere, okay?" he felt like he had to say. It was bad enough Cas trying to take off with him in tow; it'd be even worse if the angel zapped out on his own and they had no way of finding him again.

"I have to fly out of Hell," Cas mumbled into the pillow. "It will burn."

Dean's throat constricted as the implication of that hit him. Cas had always played off raising Dean as this simple feat he'd done, but Dean was beginning to get the sense it was anything but that. He was beginning to realize there were a lot of things he didn't know about his friend.

He knelt down on the floor so he could look Cas in the eye again. "You're not in Hell right now. You know that, right?"

Cas gazed at him fuzzily, but nodded. "Not in Hell."

"You know where you are?" Dean pressed. "What's the date?"

Cas frowned. "Earth. Several billion years from the beginning."

Dean sighed. That was not at all reassuring. "It's 2010," he said wearily. He shot a despondent look at Sam. What were they gonna do if Cas didn't snap out of this?

Sam's mouth was turned down. "You think he hurt his wings time traveling?"

Dean shrugged. "Not like we can do anything about it. We can't even fix… _this_."

Cas pushed himself up onto his elbows. "Dean, I have to tell you something. But it's not safe, they could be watching."

He couldn't help the wave of disappointment that washed over him.

"It's okay, Cas, you already warned me about Lilith." Dean put a hand on the angel's shoulder and tried to nudge him to relax.

Cas frowned, and shook his head as he twisted around to sit up. "No, I didn't. Angels came and I- I wasn't strong enough. I went away. And then you hated me."

Guilt squeezed Dean's heart, and he avoided glancing at his brother. He sank down onto the edge of the bed. "I didn't hate you, Cas. I was…hurt. I didn't realize you'd been…I didn't realize." He reached a hand up to rub the back of his neck self-consciously. "I'm glad you came back, though."

Cas's mouth quirked, and that glazed look clouded his eyes again. "Yes, I was very surprised."

Dean quickly grabbed Cas by the shoulders in case he was about to pass out again, but he merely continued to sway dizzily, and at least stayed conscious this time.

"Just take it easy," Dean said, for lack of anything useful to do to help his friend.

Cas blinked. "When are we?"

"2010," he repeated.

Sam leaped from his seat with a raucous clatter. "It's not specific enough," he exclaimed.

Dean blinked at him. "What?"

"Telling him the year." He started toward their bags, paused mid-step, and turned back to the laptop. "Cas said time is spinning too fast. Think of it like getting stuck in a revolving door."

Dean raised his brows incredulously. "Uh, yeah, that makes no sense."

Sam clacked a few keys, and then spun the laptop screen around to show an image of a clock face. "Cas's sense of time is stuck like a spinning revolving door. We have to slow it down so he can get out, and the year isn't enough."

Dean still wasn't getting it. "So you're gonna…?"

Sam picked up the computer and brought it over to the bed where he sat down on Cas's other side and placed the screen in front of him. "Cas, it's 2010, February 4th, 5:17pm, and twenty-five seconds. Twenty-six seconds. Twenty-seven."

Sam touched Cas's shoulder and pointed to the screen as he continued to drone on each second that ticked by. Dean thought it was rather ridiculous, but Cas seemed to become hypnotized by the tiny hand ticking its way around the clock in equal measurements.

"February 4th, 2010, 5:18pm," Sam said, then started counting the individual seconds again. He repeated the same information as each minute rolled by. Cas said nothing, and stared fixedly at the clock.

After ten whole minutes of this in which Sam's voice was growing steadily softer and Dean was starting to nod off, Cas blinked, and sat up straighter.

Taking his eyes off the clock, he turned his head to Sam, then to Dean. "I- thank you."

Dean leaned forward. "What, that shit actually worked? You okay now?"

Cas nodded, seeming surprised. "Yes, I'm…not spinning anymore." He flicked a grateful and somewhat marveled look at Sam. "Thank you."

Sam smiled. "Anytime, Cas."

Dean snorted. "Uh, no. No more time travel. Ever," he said, which earned an eye roll from his little brother. "Glad you're back, man," he told Cas. "For real."

"Yes, that was…very confusing." Cas glanced down at himself sitting on the bed, and quirked a perplexed brow.

Grinning with relief, Dean slid off the edge to give him some space. "Now that I know you'd probably be a loopy drunk, we gotta hit a bar sometime."

Cas squinted up at him. "Alcohol doesn't inebriate me."

Dean rolled his eyes to the ceiling. "Figures."

"I could go for some food, though," Sam interjected. "Want to come, Cas?"

Cas looked startled at the suggestion. "Oh, I…if that's what you want."

Sam gave him a small smile. "Yeah, we want you to come with."

Cas scooted off the bed, and both Dean and Sam waited a moment to make sure the angel really was steady on his feet.

Dean turned toward the door, but then paused. "Cas, listen… The next time I ask you to do something that's gonna 'weaken' you, do me a favor and say no."

Cas frowned. "But your parents…"

"We would have found a way. Or you could have gone to stop Anna on your own." Dean's heart clenched at the thought of having missed the opportunity to see his mom again, even if Michael had wiped her memories and his warning about the future. But he didn't want to be the kind of person who sacrificed his friend for them. After all, Cas was practically his family, too.

"Just," Dean continued, "I don't want to lose you, okay?" He cleared his throat. "And, uh…about things that happened…in the past- the way things were between us, after you got yanked back to Bible Camp…" And that was probably a mild name for what actually went down.

Cas's expression became hooded, and he looked away from Dean's gaze. It hurt, because hiding pain or shame was what it took to get Cas to break eye contact.

"I was a real dick to you sometimes," Dean barreled on. "But I understand better now, and I'm sorry."

Cas's brows knitted together as he looked at Dean again. " _You_ have nothing to apologize for."

"I think we all do," Sam put in quietly. "So, forgiveness all around?"

"I have never held anything against you," Cas said solemnly.

Dean's throat tightened, and he swallowed roughly. "No grievances between friends," he agreed.

Cas blinked in apparent bewilderment. "I'm…your friend?"

Dean snorted. "What, we're not yours?" Way to feel the love in this room.

"No, of course you are," Cas said hurriedly. "I just didn't think- I wouldn't presume the same…"

It would have been amusing to see Cas fumbling like that, if it wasn't over something that should have been a given. Dean exchanged a pained grimace with his brother.

"Yeah, Cas," Sam said gently. "You're our friend, too."

"Heck, you're practically like a brother at this point," Dean said without thinking.

Cas tilted his head with that squinty look of mystification, gazing at him for longer than was appropriate, and in that intense way of his. Dean tried not to fidget under the piercing stare, but Cas always made the whole thing so damn awkward. He was almost regretting blurting out that statement, yet as Cas seemed to bore into him, perhaps in search of his veracity, Dean realized he had meant it.

Finally, Cas disengaged the soul-stare, and now looked taken aback, and once again awed. "I…thank you."

Okay, this had gone way over the red line into chick flick territory. Dean slung his arm around Cas's shoulder and started toward the door. "You know, friends take friends to dens of iniquity…"

"Dean!" Sam admonished sharply.

He grinned cheekily in response, especially because Cas's eyes had widened just like when he'd first met Chastity. Priceless.

"Right, kidding!"


End file.
